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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. board — a committee
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rule — a law
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. stock — goods
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rule — government
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. branch — a division
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. object — a thing
  20. stock — shares
  21. object — to protest
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. board — to get on
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com